[NEohioPAL]Smoking Ban in Public

[TONY BROWN]

excellent point. what's a cigarette on a stage compared to a theater full =
of that noxious stage smoke?=20

>>> sharon schnall <sharonschnall at yahoo.com> 4/15/2007 7:37 PM >>>
Dear Tony.
  =20
  I do not smoke, nor do I personally object to cigarettes being used on =
stage, during live theatrical performances.
  =20
  I never gave smoke - whether produced by cigarettes or fog making =
machines - any thought, and I generally sit in the first few rows of the =
auditorium at community and regional theatres around the area.
  =20
  I changed my position, last December, when we invited friends to =
accompnay us to a show.  Never mind the play or the theatre.  We attended =
the show in advance of our friends accompanying us.  During the show, fog =
repeatedly rolled off the stage, and we watched as people coughed, swatted =
the air, pulled out cough drops and for some, had to exit the auditorium, =
not to return.
  =20
  Knowing we would return to the same show a second time, I contacted my =
friends - who have serious health problems - asking could they handle that =
type of smoke exposure.  They could not.  Sadly, they could not accompany =
us to the show, and we gave the tickets away.  During that second =
performance, the same scenario of fog, coughing, coping and exiting =
occurred.
  =20
  I have also watched similar behaviors at shows where cigarettes are used =
on stage. =20
  =20
  Now, I will try to verify, in advance, about smoke when I consider going =
to a show with these friends.  But, box office representatives. don't =
always have the answers.  Because of experiencing my friends' loss and =
prevention from attending a show, I now am aware that the issue of smoke =
is not an issue of censorship, but one of thoughtful consideration and =
health.
  =20
  Until the matter can be resolved, I hope theatres will prominently =
display information about smoke machines and cigarettes on their websites =
- in advance of a performance - and not on the program brochure when the =
ticket owner is already at the event and has the few choices of missing =
the show or tolerating the smoke.
  =20
  I've always enjoyed the smoky effects - ones that enhanced fantasy or =
mystery or others that recreated a WWII era feeling.  Now, however, I know =
I could live without that effect so that others' enjoyment and health will =
not be sacrificed.
  =20
  Thanks,
  =20
  Sharon Schnall
  =20
 =20

TONY BROWN <TBROWN at plaind.com> wrote:
  actors and other performers are asked to make many sacrifices. chevy =
chase and jerry lewis have suffered damage to their bodies from taking =
pratfalls. ballet dancers, from an early age, contort their bodies into =
unnatural postures. opera singers risk their vocal chords with demanding =
scores. smoking a cigarette, or an herbal cigarette, onstage once a night =
(or twice on matinee days) hardly constitute a life-threatening undertaking=
, unlike using a loaded gun or an unbuttoned epee. as for obscenity and =
nudity on stage, plenty of right-wing nut-cases who believe that they are =
unhealthy, possibly even enough so as to cause eternal damnation.

at any rate, the first ammendment is likely to prevail here.

tony=20

>>> "" 4/15/2007 3:44 PM >>>


Mr. Brown, From my perspective as a member of the Cleveland theater =
community for almost two decades as well as a former health care profession=
al, I find the comparison of the smoking ban in public places, to attempts =
to censor language and nudity onstage almost laughable. Language and =
nudity do not constitute a public health hazard, while the dangers of =
smoking and second-hand smoke are well documented. I wonder, would any of =
the directors mentioned in your article ask an actor to take a loaded gun =
on stage? Or stage a fight with sharpened/pointed swords or knives? Of =
course not. According to the Center for Disease Control smoking related =
illnesses killed 10 times more Americans than guns in 2006. Not only is =
the ban now the law, it is also the will of the people, many of whom =
patronize our theaters. I've been involved in numerous productions where =
lines were cut/edited or situations adapted because of length, time, or =
whatever need the director felt had to be met. Why is=20
this different? Change is an inevitable part of life. Our challenge as =
artists is to embrace the changes and to adapt.Compared to the welfare of =
actors and audiences, what should our priority be? After all...it is just =
a play. Very truly yours, Robert J. Williams

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